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Jumping in Headfirst: Year Four

...Year Four. What the fuck, really? Another year and I'll be getting a card for not quitting this thing and becoming a "pillar of the internet" from the Society of People With No Life.

Anyway. My apologies for not writing this thing up sooner, as I meant to do this the third, the first "work day" of the year. Chalk it up to laziness.

Last year was probably one of the most challenging years I've ever experienced. Most of the challenges coming from within, but as it was also my first year in college, many of them came from the outside as well. Still, for the most part you can say I pretty much "won", since I brought back a decently high GPA (3.4 for the year)...and, y'know, sanity. I call that a victory for God, 'cause I kinda sucked on my own and found myself praying to him pretty much constantly. (Which I and my fellow Christians are supposed to do anyway, but we don't because we're stupid.)

I'm having to say goodbye to some of my oldest friends now, as they move towards graduating since, unlike me, they started college when they were supposed to. Already one of my closest friends has moved away, starting his career as a...God save me, I have no idea what he does. Something business-y. I wish him luck, but given he is immensely talented, and gives 100 percent to pretty much everything he does, I'm sure he'll succeed at whatever his career is.

My other two oldest friends will likely be leaving soon as well, given they both graduate at the end of the semester. I hate to admit it, but I'll miss them. I can't imagine how much different I would be had I not met them. The fact that I had a close group of friends around whom I could be myself allowed me to become the person I am today. (Y'know, I don't think any of them will be particularly happy I put that on them.)

But God always knows what you need and when you need it, and while no one can replace the friends of my childhood, I managed, surprisingly, to make new friends at the end of this year. With much of the same common interests (anime, video games...females), it's a blast hanging out with them and as corny as it is to say, hanging with them kinda gives me that full college experience I felt I was missing out on my first semester here. An experience I didn't see myself getting, given my normal habits. More proof that so long as you keep yourself open to new things, no matter how convinced you are your life will never change, you'll eventually find yourself doing things you've never done before. (Only Change is Permanent.)

So what's up for Jumping in Headfirst? Well, last year the goal was to get my actual output up, regardless of length or regularity. This year is I'll be trying something a bit different, as I try to develop my writing skills in terms of better articulating how and why I feel the way I do about certain things. (Think less "What I'm Looking Forward to" and more "Why this series is a favorite of mine".)

I'm also going to attempt to update more regularly, but my schedule's sick right now. Between Japanese II (which I'm leaving for once I post this), Calculus, and Physics, it's only the fact that I don't really know how screwed I am that keeps me from panicking.

I'll be doing a Top 20 Anime within the next few months, wrapping up The Pull List and Project Otaku Powerlevelling, and then probably talking about my newest addiction. (Yu-Gi-Oh. Yep. Completely serious.) Also, expect a different look for the site, 'cause I'm tired of the one that's up right now.

Jumping in Headfirst is (hopefully) gaining a readership, so I gotta do better on my softshoe now. Particularly as I look more seriously at the idea of being a writer as my career (while this degree becomes my back-up plan.)

That brings me to one last thing I want to say: Comment. Please. Bullshit will be deleted, but all honest, constructive criticism on how I can be a better writer is not only appreciated, but necessary at this stage. Don't just hit the like button when I post stuff on FB.

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